1 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:15,440 Speaker 1: Welcome to the OTP Mike Keith along with Abe Wells 2 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:18,960 Speaker 1: once again. Welcome back. Hi Mike area. I'm doing just fine, 3 00:00:19,239 --> 00:00:21,400 Speaker 1: glad to have you here. It. By the way, in 4 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:25,439 Speaker 1: the course of this program, you may hear progress. And 5 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 1: what I mean by that is we are getting a 6 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:30,760 Speaker 1: new studio at St. Thomas Sports Park. They are building 7 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:35,239 Speaker 1: a radio and television studio downstairs. The only issue is 8 00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:38,639 Speaker 1: they're working on it right now, so occasionally you'll hear 9 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:41,519 Speaker 1: a hammer or somebody yelling, Hey, lou bring me some 10 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:44,640 Speaker 1: wire or something. What ye are we building studio? I 11 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 1: don't know. There may be wire, but anyway, the point 12 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:49,840 Speaker 1: is if you hear a strange noise in the background, 13 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:53,400 Speaker 1: we're not going to reference it every time. Just no. Yes, 14 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:56,360 Speaker 1: it's the price of progress on the OTP, and we're 15 00:00:56,440 --> 00:00:58,800 Speaker 1: very excited about it, and we're the loud and we're 16 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 1: very excited about our guest. Our guest is doctor Alan Sills, 17 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:07,800 Speaker 1: the NFL's first full time chief medical officer. Thanks for 18 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:10,520 Speaker 1: joining us, Thanks for having me. All right, that's pretty good. 19 00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 1: The first full time chief medical officer. What an honor. Well, 20 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:16,840 Speaker 1: thank you. I'm very honored to be in the position. 21 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:19,040 Speaker 1: Was happy to have the chance to serve. All right, 22 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 1: let me give your background. Doctor Sills is a neurosurgeon 23 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 1: and sports physician, a part of Vanderbilt University's Medical Center, 24 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:33,360 Speaker 1: where he serves as a professor of neurological surgery, orthopedic surgery, 25 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 1: and Rehabilitation, and the founder and co director of the 26 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:42,400 Speaker 1: Vanderbilt Sports Concussion Center. So what I wonder is you're 27 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:46,280 Speaker 1: a local guy for us, but for the NFL obviously 28 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 1: you're the chief medical officer. So how did it happen? 29 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 1: How did you go from your role working in the 30 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:57,240 Speaker 1: orbit of the NFL to becoming the chief medical officer. Well, 31 00:01:57,280 --> 00:01:59,240 Speaker 1: I've been working in sports for over twenty years, as 32 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 1: you mentioned, Mike, I've had the pleasure to work at 33 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 1: several different levels, all the way from high school through 34 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 1: college and then in several different professional sports. And starting 35 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:11,760 Speaker 1: in twenty and thirteen, the NFL started their unaffiliated Neurotrauma 36 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:15,680 Speaker 1: Consultant program where they have a neurological specialist on the 37 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 1: sideline on Sundays at the games. And so I started 38 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:20,360 Speaker 1: serving for that locally here with the Titans, along with 39 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:23,119 Speaker 1: a couple of my colleagues from Vanderbilt and through that work, 40 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:25,360 Speaker 1: I met some of the folks for the NFL. We 41 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 1: also connected through some international sports work I've done. I've 42 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:31,120 Speaker 1: been part of the International Equestrian Federation on their medical side, 43 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 1: and so we would see some of the NFL personnel 44 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:36,440 Speaker 1: at meetings. And when the NFL decided to hire a 45 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:38,640 Speaker 1: chief medical officer, they contacted me and asked me if 46 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 1: I'd be interested, and so I started that process of 47 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:43,600 Speaker 1: talking with them about that role. So what are some 48 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 1: of the goals that you have as the NFL's Chief 49 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:50,760 Speaker 1: medical Officer. We like to talk about three major areas 50 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 1: of emphasis for us. First and foremost is excellence in 51 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:56,920 Speaker 1: player patient care. Everything we do focuses around giving the 52 00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:00,679 Speaker 1: very best care to our world class athletes throughout all 53 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 1: the spectrum of their career, and that is, I like 54 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 1: to say, is our true north. We want to be 55 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 1: excellent across the board and doing that. Our second pillar 56 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:11,360 Speaker 1: is research and innovation. We want to participate in support 57 00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 1: research that helps us discover new knowledge to make the 58 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:17,000 Speaker 1: game safer, and also look at the products and services 59 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 1: that may be coming to bear that we think can 60 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:20,919 Speaker 1: affect football, not only the NFL, but at all levels 61 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 1: and across all sports. Our third area is education and advocacy. 62 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 1: We think we have a great opportunity to use the 63 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:29,600 Speaker 1: platform and the visibility of the NFL to help educate 64 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 1: about changes in safety and ways that we can improve 65 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 1: sports again at all levels, and also to advocate for 66 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 1: those changes that we think will help both again at 67 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:40,840 Speaker 1: a youth, college, high school level throughout. So what does 68 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:43,280 Speaker 1: a week look like for you? And then, on the 69 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:45,480 Speaker 1: same token, what does a Sunday look like for you? 70 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:48,080 Speaker 1: It must be pretty wild and crazy. Sundays definitely our 71 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 1: busiest day during the season. So let's start there. So 72 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:53,360 Speaker 1: on a Sunday. Some Sundays, I'm in New York at 73 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:56,400 Speaker 1: our command center there. Some Sundays I'll be at a game. 74 00:03:56,440 --> 00:03:58,320 Speaker 1: Some Sundays I'll be here in Nashville. But I'm sort 75 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 1: of on call for the whole league, our team medical staffs, 76 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:04,119 Speaker 1: and to our league officials and our personnel to help 77 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 1: troubleshoot anythings that may be going on. I do travel 78 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 1: to a lot of games. I tend to go to 79 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:11,119 Speaker 1: a lot of games on Mondays and Thursdays because when 80 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 1: we have one game going on on those game days, 81 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 1: and so I don't obviously need to stay in touch 82 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:18,920 Speaker 1: with everyone else on those days. So that's how game 83 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:21,120 Speaker 1: day plays out. And during the course of a typical week, 84 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 1: I'm in New York usually some of that week, where 85 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:25,360 Speaker 1: our headquarters are. I'm also on the road a good bit, 86 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 1: visiting our clubs, getting to meet our team medical staffs 87 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 1: and our personnel, meeting with our research partners, going to 88 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:33,640 Speaker 1: medical meetings, and then I still do a little bit 89 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:36,839 Speaker 1: of doctoring at Vanderbilt. I still actually see patients and 90 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:38,680 Speaker 1: still do some surgery a couple of days a month 91 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:41,600 Speaker 1: as well, So each week looks a little different depending 92 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:44,279 Speaker 1: on what's going on. I want to ask you too 93 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:48,040 Speaker 1: about your credibility with football people, and what I mean 94 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:50,760 Speaker 1: by that is, for anybody who works in the NFL 95 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:54,840 Speaker 1: who is not a player or a coach, you have 96 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:58,080 Speaker 1: to sort of establish a credibility with the players and 97 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:01,240 Speaker 1: the coaches and the personnel for folks in order for 98 00:05:01,279 --> 00:05:03,360 Speaker 1: them to be able to trust that you have the 99 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:08,360 Speaker 1: game's best interest at heart. For you, do that credibility 100 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 1: come from the fact that you have worked so much 101 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:14,719 Speaker 1: with other sports, and it's clear that you love sports 102 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:17,560 Speaker 1: just like frankly any sports fan. I think that's a 103 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:19,680 Speaker 1: big part of it, Mike, because I have been around 104 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:22,920 Speaker 1: football again at all levels for over thirty years, in fact, 105 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 1: really almost my whole life. I grew up in a 106 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 1: college town and went to college football games every weekend. 107 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 1: But once I got into medicine, I started covering and 108 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:32,440 Speaker 1: serving as a team consultant for a number of different 109 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:35,080 Speaker 1: colleges and university teams and was fortunate enough to meet 110 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 1: a lot of folks through that role. And then having 111 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:39,200 Speaker 1: served in several other professional sports. I've been in the 112 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:41,400 Speaker 1: NBA as a team physician, I've been in the NHL 113 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:44,000 Speaker 1: as a team physician. I do think it helps that, 114 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:47,200 Speaker 1: but definitely would count myself as a sports fan and 115 00:05:47,279 --> 00:05:50,040 Speaker 1: someone who loves lots of different sports and certainly football. 116 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 1: Combining that love with your medical background and the fact 117 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:55,920 Speaker 1: that you like research, all of that fits together. And 118 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:57,719 Speaker 1: I want to ask you about something that I've read 119 00:05:57,720 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 1: about that fascinates me, and that's the NFL Head Health 120 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:07,279 Speaker 1: I guess they call it initiative, right. It's fascinating. It's 121 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 1: fascinating the money that is being spent in trying to 122 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:13,680 Speaker 1: take care of the players, come up with a lot 123 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:17,040 Speaker 1: of technological advances and advance the game. Can you explain 124 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 1: what that initiative is all about. Sure, well, it's part 125 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 1: of our overall research program that I referenced earlier. And 126 00:06:23,279 --> 00:06:25,240 Speaker 1: one of the things that I didn't know before I 127 00:06:25,279 --> 00:06:27,400 Speaker 1: got in this role is just how heavily invested the 128 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 1: NFL has been in research. Over the past five or 129 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:32,120 Speaker 1: six years. The league has spent over two hundred million 130 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:35,280 Speaker 1: dollars on a variety of different research projects. And again, 131 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:37,720 Speaker 1: not all of that's just around concussion and club pusses, 132 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:40,360 Speaker 1: the whole spectrum of player experience. But I think it's 133 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:42,120 Speaker 1: a great point of pride for the league and it's 134 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:44,640 Speaker 1: something that's clearly helping a lot of different medical research. 135 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:48,159 Speaker 1: Specific to GE. There have been several challenges that have 136 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:51,360 Speaker 1: occurred through the sponsorship with GE. Some of those have 137 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:53,680 Speaker 1: looked at better ways to image the brain and how 138 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:56,440 Speaker 1: we can study the brain and concussion and other conditions. 139 00:06:57,000 --> 00:06:59,679 Speaker 1: Some of those have looked more around other diagnostic tests. 140 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:02,479 Speaker 1: But just part of this overall portfolio where the league 141 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 1: has been really focusing on the research that's going to 142 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:08,240 Speaker 1: help us understand the conditions that affect players, again across 143 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 1: the whold of their experience. Now we know that they've 144 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 1: done a lot of research on helmets and how to 145 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:16,000 Speaker 1: make them safer, but they're also doing research on things 146 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 1: that you'd never think about with things like shoes and things. 147 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 1: Is that correct? It is. We've got a sixty million 148 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 1: dollar project called the Engineering Roadmap that's really focused around 149 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:27,120 Speaker 1: protective equipment head to toe. So helmets were the first 150 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 1: place it was started. And our engineers that we work 151 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:32,520 Speaker 1: with in that project actually came out of the automotive 152 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 1: safety industry, and so they've taken that same approach of 153 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 1: how can we design a safer car really from scratch, materials, engineering, 154 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 1: the way we put it all together, and they've used 155 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 1: that to innovate around the helmet, trying to spur the 156 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:47,160 Speaker 1: manufacturers and people in that space to innovate around how 157 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:50,240 Speaker 1: helmets are designed and the materials and so forth. They've 158 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 1: also taken that approach to the other end of the 159 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:55,119 Speaker 1: body now in the feet, and they've found some fascinating data, 160 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:57,400 Speaker 1: which is about half of the players in the NFL 161 00:07:57,480 --> 00:08:00,720 Speaker 1: did not wear the right size or style shoe and 162 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 1: that has a substantial correlation with injury because when you're 163 00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 1: not in the right shoe, the forces and the speed 164 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 1: that these guys put on the shoe can really lead 165 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:10,520 Speaker 1: to a lot of different injuries with the foot, the ankle, 166 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:13,160 Speaker 1: and even further up the chain and lower extremity or 167 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:16,320 Speaker 1: leg injuries are still the number one time loss injury 168 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:18,480 Speaker 1: in the league. Guys miss more time for those than 169 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:21,440 Speaker 1: any other reason. So our engineers found this out, they 170 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:24,320 Speaker 1: started testing and innovating around shoes and cleat design. They 171 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 1: worked with the manufacturers to improve the design, and they 172 00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 1: worked with Hewlett Packard to design a scanner project that 173 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:35,080 Speaker 1: is doing a three D foot scan of every player 174 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:37,520 Speaker 1: in the league so that your unique foot size and 175 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:40,600 Speaker 1: shape is scanned. That then goes into an algorithm and 176 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 1: it spits out and says, for the type of shoe 177 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:44,440 Speaker 1: you like to wear, the brand you like to wear, 178 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:47,440 Speaker 1: here are the right model choices for you. And we've 179 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:49,480 Speaker 1: got that across all thirty two clubs now and so 180 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:52,080 Speaker 1: basically every player is going to get custom made shoes, 181 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 1: if you will, for each foot and for each surface 182 00:08:54,559 --> 00:08:57,880 Speaker 1: artificial surface and natural surface. We feel very confident that's 183 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:00,880 Speaker 1: going to have a substantially increase, say margin for a 184 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 1: lot of these injuries. Doctor sells, how do you keep 185 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:06,560 Speaker 1: up with all of the research and technology that's going 186 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:09,080 Speaker 1: on right now. Because the brain stuff, the foot stuff, 187 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:13,480 Speaker 1: all of these studies, how do you follow it all, Well, 188 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:15,200 Speaker 1: it's impossible for one person to do. We have a 189 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:17,280 Speaker 1: whole team that works on these projects. It's certainly not 190 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:19,400 Speaker 1: just me. We have a large health and safety staff, 191 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:22,679 Speaker 1: and as I mentioned before, we have consultants and engineers 192 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:25,400 Speaker 1: that work with us as well as our medical experts. 193 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 1: We engage a lot of medical experts around the country 194 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:30,199 Speaker 1: on our various committees, and they really help us manage 195 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 1: all this. It's way too big a job for any 196 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 1: one person. Let's talk about the evolution of the game 197 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 1: as far as rules and if you go back, this 198 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:40,560 Speaker 1: is the one hundred and fiftieth season of football, coming 199 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:43,679 Speaker 1: up from when it started when Rutgers played Princeton on 200 00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:46,720 Speaker 1: November sixth, eighteen sixty dis So we've been doing this 201 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:49,840 Speaker 1: a long time. And I was reading something just recently 202 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:53,520 Speaker 1: about how they outlawed the flying wedge back in those days, 203 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:56,680 Speaker 1: because amy the way they stopped the flying wedge with 204 00:09:56,760 --> 00:09:59,840 Speaker 1: a guy coming forward is one of the defensive players 205 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 1: hunched a guy in the jaw that would work, so 206 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:06,760 Speaker 1: there was blood everything. They really great on the health 207 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:09,440 Speaker 1: and safety side. Teddy Roosevelt not thrilled with where the 208 00:10:09,480 --> 00:10:12,720 Speaker 1: game was in the early early twentieth century. So the 209 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:16,439 Speaker 1: pattern of rule changes throughout the game. It's been consistent 210 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 1: and in recent years no more leaping defenseless receivers taken 211 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:25,160 Speaker 1: care of. Basically the crackback block is out of the 212 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:29,040 Speaker 1: game except for some very minor exceptions. And then in 213 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 1: March a big rule came forward at the league meetings, 214 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:35,240 Speaker 1: and I went back and I looked at exactly what 215 00:10:35,280 --> 00:10:37,440 Speaker 1: the language of the rule is, so I'm just gonna 216 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:40,640 Speaker 1: read it. It is a foul if a player lowers 217 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:44,400 Speaker 1: his head to initiate and make contact with his helmet 218 00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:47,800 Speaker 1: against an opponent. It's a big deal. It was a 219 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:51,080 Speaker 1: big deal throughout the league, a lot of reaction from 220 00:10:51,080 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 1: really everywhere. Can you take us through Doctor Sills. What 221 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:58,839 Speaker 1: led to this development and this rule being put on 222 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:01,360 Speaker 1: the book starting in twenty eighteen. Sure, And I think, 223 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:04,320 Speaker 1: first to echo something you've mentioned, Mike, the evolution of 224 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:07,400 Speaker 1: rules in football as a function of safety has gone 225 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 1: on throughout the course of the game. So this is 226 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:11,719 Speaker 1: nothing new. What we have now at our disposal is 227 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:15,040 Speaker 1: a whole lot more technology and resources to understand these injuries. 228 00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:17,839 Speaker 1: And so when we looked at our concussion numbers over 229 00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:20,520 Speaker 1: the past several years, in twenty seventeen, we had an 230 00:11:20,520 --> 00:11:23,280 Speaker 1: all time high of concussions diagnosed in the NFL two 231 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:26,360 Speaker 1: hundred and ninety one that includes preseason, regular season, and 232 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:29,920 Speaker 1: postseason games and practices. And some people have said, isn't 233 00:11:29,920 --> 00:11:32,640 Speaker 1: that because we're better at diagnosing them? Isn't everyone more aware? 234 00:11:32,679 --> 00:11:35,120 Speaker 1: Aren't players reporting more? And I think the answers to 235 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:37,680 Speaker 1: all of those questions are yes. But still we don't 236 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:39,920 Speaker 1: want to stop there and say that's okay. So as 237 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:41,800 Speaker 1: we went back to the drawing board and said, what 238 00:11:41,880 --> 00:11:45,559 Speaker 1: can we do to drive that number down to reduce 239 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:48,680 Speaker 1: the number of concussions, we started looking at the triggers, 240 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:51,199 Speaker 1: the factors that are really producing them. And our engineers 241 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:53,760 Speaker 1: that we worked with did a video review of every 242 00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:56,000 Speaker 1: concussion in the league for the last three years. They 243 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:58,120 Speaker 1: didn't just look at one angle. They looked at every angle. 244 00:11:58,160 --> 00:12:00,800 Speaker 1: They looked at all the impact velocities, and they noticed 245 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:03,840 Speaker 1: this disturbing pattern that when players lowered their head and 246 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:07,000 Speaker 1: initiated contact with their head, they put themselves at a 247 00:12:07,040 --> 00:12:09,079 Speaker 1: much higher risk of injury and their opponent of a a 248 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:12,120 Speaker 1: much higher risk of injury, and we saw that behavior 249 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:15,520 Speaker 1: happening more frequently. Three seasons ago, it was about one 250 00:12:15,520 --> 00:12:18,040 Speaker 1: out of every three concussions caused by helmet to helmet. 251 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:20,560 Speaker 1: In twenty seventeen, it was about one out of two. 252 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:23,480 Speaker 1: So despite all our awareness that behavior, that style of 253 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:26,240 Speaker 1: play was becoming more common. So as we went in 254 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:28,320 Speaker 1: and looked at all that data and reviewed much of 255 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:31,000 Speaker 1: that video, we put a presentation together that we took 256 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:33,840 Speaker 1: to the Competition Committee. The competition committee who makes the 257 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:36,160 Speaker 1: rules of the game for the NFL. It's composed of 258 00:12:36,520 --> 00:12:40,160 Speaker 1: some coaches, some team owners, and other executives in the league, 259 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:42,200 Speaker 1: and we just showed them that data. We laid it 260 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:44,120 Speaker 1: out and showed them the videos and showed them the 261 00:12:44,160 --> 00:12:47,079 Speaker 1: instance of how this was happening. And everyone around the 262 00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:50,360 Speaker 1: room said, we got to change this. Meaning this behavior 263 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:53,000 Speaker 1: of guys lowering their head and initiating contact with their 264 00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:55,960 Speaker 1: helmet is so risky and so dangerous we feel it 265 00:12:55,960 --> 00:12:57,520 Speaker 1: needs to come out of the game. And that was 266 00:12:57,559 --> 00:13:00,320 Speaker 1: really the impetus around the rule change. I have to 267 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:03,520 Speaker 1: tell you, as sort of an insider insight, we presented 268 00:13:03,559 --> 00:13:05,880 Speaker 1: that to the entire ownership and all the head coaches 269 00:13:05,880 --> 00:13:09,520 Speaker 1: in the league, and there was uniform agreement all the 270 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 1: head coaches that this is a part of the game 271 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:13,280 Speaker 1: that they didn't want to see, that they didn't feel 272 00:13:13,280 --> 00:13:15,240 Speaker 1: should be taught, and they wanted to get out of 273 00:13:15,240 --> 00:13:17,760 Speaker 1: the game. So that was obviously gratifying to me as 274 00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:19,880 Speaker 1: someone who cares deeply about these issues. But I think 275 00:13:19,920 --> 00:13:22,520 Speaker 1: it shows the breadth of support for the type of 276 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:24,800 Speaker 1: change that we're trying to do here. Did that amount 277 00:13:24,800 --> 00:13:27,520 Speaker 1: of support surprise you at all? Did you expect to 278 00:13:27,559 --> 00:13:30,480 Speaker 1: have a little pushback? You know, I guess you don't 279 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:32,439 Speaker 1: know what to expect when you go in, But again, 280 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:35,240 Speaker 1: we went in just with data. We're not the football experts, 281 00:13:35,240 --> 00:13:37,440 Speaker 1: we're the medical folks, and so we went in and said, 282 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:39,600 Speaker 1: here's what we're noticing, and here's where we think there's 283 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:43,560 Speaker 1: an opportunity to really make a significant impact on safety. 284 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:46,560 Speaker 1: And so it was very gratifying to see them embrace 285 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:49,440 Speaker 1: that very quickly, and, as I said, very much across 286 00:13:49,480 --> 00:13:51,640 Speaker 1: the board. We also talked about two other pillars that 287 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:53,960 Speaker 1: we're using this year to try to drive down concussions. 288 00:13:54,040 --> 00:13:57,000 Speaker 1: One is to reduce the number of preseason practice concussions. 289 00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:58,679 Speaker 1: We had a little bit of an uptick last year, 290 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:01,360 Speaker 1: so we're sharing data with clubs about how they practice 291 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:03,760 Speaker 1: and when those occur. And secondly, to try to get 292 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:06,079 Speaker 1: players in better performing helmets. You may have heard some 293 00:14:07,280 --> 00:14:10,960 Speaker 1: news recently about being certain helmets being prohibited. That comes 294 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:12,920 Speaker 1: out of our testing where we test all the helmets 295 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:15,200 Speaker 1: and find that some perform much better than others in 296 00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:18,079 Speaker 1: terms of protection. And I'm assuming that the players in 297 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 1: the Players Union are also a pretty big part in 298 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:24,360 Speaker 1: these discussions. Credibly important point. I mean, we have active 299 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:28,160 Speaker 1: participation together so that the Players Association, their engineers, and 300 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:30,520 Speaker 1: our engineers are working together on that. I want to 301 00:14:30,560 --> 00:14:33,720 Speaker 1: ask you too about some of the people saying, Okay, 302 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:37,840 Speaker 1: this is going to be ejections, penalties left and right, 303 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:41,640 Speaker 1: because this is going to be called I mean, I 304 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 1: don't know that it's criticism as much as it just 305 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:47,720 Speaker 1: is concern. What do you think the league's feelings are 306 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:50,960 Speaker 1: on that, from the medical side and the football side. Well, 307 00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:52,960 Speaker 1: I think on the medical side, we try to leave 308 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:55,400 Speaker 1: the enforcement to the folks that are experts in that area, 309 00:14:55,520 --> 00:14:57,800 Speaker 1: and so I think that they'll do a good job 310 00:14:57,800 --> 00:14:59,800 Speaker 1: on that. We did have a recent summit meeting last 311 00:14:59,800 --> 00:15:02,040 Speaker 1: week in New York where we brought in a lot 312 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:05,120 Speaker 1: of head coaches, including coach Rabel, a number of former 313 00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:07,200 Speaker 1: players and legends of the game, and a number of 314 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 1: other stakeholders to talk about that issue, how it's going 315 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:12,560 Speaker 1: to be officiated. Here's one thing I'd say, Folks are 316 00:15:12,560 --> 00:15:14,480 Speaker 1: going to need to be a little patient. Okay, it's 317 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:16,120 Speaker 1: not going to be perfect right at the get go. 318 00:15:16,640 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 1: All changes are hard, just like when we put in 319 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:22,880 Speaker 1: protections around defenseless receivers and other things. There is a 320 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:26,360 Speaker 1: learning car for everyone, officials, players, coaches, But there's clear 321 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:29,160 Speaker 1: commitment to making this type of change and getting it right. 322 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:31,400 Speaker 1: And I think you'll see us moving in that direction. 323 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:34,400 Speaker 1: And for what the long term gain is some short 324 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 1: term pain, maybe it'll be worth it. That's right, And 325 00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:39,280 Speaker 1: no one's trying to change the essence of the game. 326 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:41,640 Speaker 1: We certainly understand there's always going to be collisions, but 327 00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:43,920 Speaker 1: it's a matter of how those collisions occur and doing 328 00:15:43,920 --> 00:15:46,760 Speaker 1: it in the safest manner possible and again getting out 329 00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:49,560 Speaker 1: of the game these behaviors that have a much much 330 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:51,920 Speaker 1: higher risk of injury. Is it going to be hard 331 00:15:51,960 --> 00:15:56,080 Speaker 1: to teach professional players some of these changes. You know, again, 332 00:15:56,120 --> 00:15:57,880 Speaker 1: i'd have to talk with the coaching staffs. I know 333 00:15:57,960 --> 00:16:00,240 Speaker 1: that there was a lot of discussion about that point. 334 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:03,120 Speaker 1: The league is making videos around that issue of how 335 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 1: to teach this. But I think you raise a larger point, 336 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:08,320 Speaker 1: which is we're sharing this same information with other levels 337 00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:10,920 Speaker 1: of play, including the NCAA and others, because we do 338 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:14,080 Speaker 1: realize that players learn habits earlier on, and they become 339 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:16,720 Speaker 1: successful with certain techniques, and it is sometimes harder for 340 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:19,680 Speaker 1: us to change later in our careers. So we think 341 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:21,280 Speaker 1: it is going to be an important part of this 342 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:24,120 Speaker 1: change to make sure that we adopt it at other levels, 343 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:26,400 Speaker 1: and hopefully the other levels will follow the NFL. But 344 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:28,120 Speaker 1: whether they do or don't, we think it's the right 345 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:30,840 Speaker 1: thing for us. Well, your son wrapping up high school 346 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:33,080 Speaker 1: right now, a high school athlete could go want to 347 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:36,200 Speaker 1: be a college baseball player. For you, does it make 348 00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 1: it even more important that these things happen and we'll 349 00:16:39,280 --> 00:16:42,480 Speaker 1: trickle down and be taught to not only our college 350 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:44,920 Speaker 1: players are high school players, our middle school players are 351 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:48,200 Speaker 1: grass cutter players. Based on the fact that you have 352 00:16:48,280 --> 00:16:50,960 Speaker 1: a kid that would have been directly impacted by this sure, 353 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:52,920 Speaker 1: I think we recognize and we own the fact that 354 00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:54,960 Speaker 1: we have a leadership role we being the NFL, and 355 00:16:54,960 --> 00:16:57,200 Speaker 1: that people look to us for these kinds of innovations. 356 00:16:57,200 --> 00:16:59,080 Speaker 1: And I think that's part of what excites me about 357 00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:01,600 Speaker 1: my job, is that we and take all this evidence 358 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:04,280 Speaker 1: that we have at our fingertips and put together in 359 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:07,440 Speaker 1: new knowledge and advancements that can then impact the game 360 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:09,720 Speaker 1: for other levels of play. You know, I still stand 361 00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:12,120 Speaker 1: on the high school sidelines on Friday night at football 362 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:14,280 Speaker 1: games and love doing that, And so I have a 363 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:17,400 Speaker 1: real passion for making sure that we're trying to lead 364 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:20,160 Speaker 1: and to share that knowledge with other levels of play 365 00:17:20,200 --> 00:17:22,280 Speaker 1: so that the game can become as safe as it 366 00:17:22,320 --> 00:17:24,439 Speaker 1: can be at every level. Where do you think we 367 00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:28,399 Speaker 1: are on the kickoff at this point from a safety standpoint, Well, 368 00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:30,840 Speaker 1: we've taken some very aggressive steps to try to improve 369 00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:33,159 Speaker 1: that play because it had the highest rate of injury 370 00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:35,960 Speaker 1: of any play, not just for concussion but for all injuries. 371 00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:38,640 Speaker 1: And really that's a function of space and speed. You've 372 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:41,960 Speaker 1: got enormous people traveling at a high rate of speed 373 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:45,359 Speaker 1: over large distances and with high energy collisions. So there's 374 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:47,480 Speaker 1: been a very active effort, as you know, this offseason, 375 00:17:47,520 --> 00:17:49,080 Speaker 1: to look at that play and think about how it 376 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:52,720 Speaker 1: could be restructured in an attempt to reduce those injury rates. Again, 377 00:17:52,760 --> 00:17:54,560 Speaker 1: we had a summit in New York last week, brought 378 00:17:54,560 --> 00:17:57,600 Speaker 1: in a lot of special teams coaches again, former players, 379 00:17:57,680 --> 00:17:59,680 Speaker 1: current coaches to look at that and so there's a 380 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:02,800 Speaker 1: very collaborative effort across the league to say, we all 381 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:04,919 Speaker 1: want to see that injury rate go down. Try to 382 00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:07,560 Speaker 1: save that play if we can. How could we maybe 383 00:18:07,560 --> 00:18:09,840 Speaker 1: re engineer some of the rules around it to accomplish 384 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:12,359 Speaker 1: those objectives. And the great thing about our position is 385 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:14,119 Speaker 1: we're going to know the answer at the end of 386 00:18:14,119 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 1: the season. We'll have the data to know whether those 387 00:18:16,119 --> 00:18:18,560 Speaker 1: changes did what we wanted them to or whether we've 388 00:18:18,560 --> 00:18:20,880 Speaker 1: got to go in a different direction. For you, as 389 00:18:20,880 --> 00:18:23,480 Speaker 1: a medical professional, are there certain aspects of the game 390 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:25,679 Speaker 1: that you watch and you just kind of clench your 391 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:28,200 Speaker 1: fists a little bit, wondering is there something that makes 392 00:18:28,200 --> 00:18:31,879 Speaker 1: you nervous? Well, I think you want the game to 393 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:33,920 Speaker 1: be as safe as it can be, and you recognize 394 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:36,199 Speaker 1: that injury can occur to anyone at any sport, at 395 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:40,200 Speaker 1: any level. In my practice, I see people injured in 396 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:42,400 Speaker 1: a whole variety of ways, people coming in with golf 397 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:45,040 Speaker 1: balls hitting them in the head and causing concussions on 398 00:18:45,040 --> 00:18:47,600 Speaker 1: the golf course, and cheerleaders that fall in various things. 399 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:50,359 Speaker 1: So you know that participating in sports there's always some 400 00:18:50,440 --> 00:18:52,560 Speaker 1: risk of injury. Our job and our goal is to 401 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:54,960 Speaker 1: drive that risk down as low as we possibly can. 402 00:18:55,359 --> 00:18:57,640 Speaker 1: And what we're gifted with in the NFL is tremendous 403 00:18:57,720 --> 00:19:00,800 Speaker 1: medical personnel. We have great physicians and letic trainers who 404 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:03,679 Speaker 1: work on our sidelines, are independent personnel that come in 405 00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:06,679 Speaker 1: in game day, are very devoted and very attentive to 406 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:09,240 Speaker 1: their tasks. So I'm very proud of the record of 407 00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:11,239 Speaker 1: achievement we've done in this area, and I think the 408 00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:13,320 Speaker 1: game is in a far better place with health and 409 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:16,040 Speaker 1: safety today than it was five or ten years ago, 410 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:18,680 Speaker 1: and certainly twenty or thirty years ago. The NFL has 411 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:22,520 Speaker 1: been this country's number one sport since the early nineteen eighties, 412 00:19:22,520 --> 00:19:25,080 Speaker 1: according to the Harris Pole, year after year after year, 413 00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:28,760 Speaker 1: and so when injuries take place in the NFL, whether 414 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:33,199 Speaker 1: it's concussions or acls or whatever, gets tremendous attention. But 415 00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:36,919 Speaker 1: the point is these injuries occur in other sports and 416 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:40,720 Speaker 1: maybe don't get the attention that they probably should. And 417 00:19:40,840 --> 00:19:43,960 Speaker 1: yet some of the things being learned in football are 418 00:19:44,040 --> 00:19:47,880 Speaker 1: helping with these other sports and with injury, Absolutely correct, Mike, 419 00:19:48,119 --> 00:19:49,879 Speaker 1: and I think that's again part of our mission on 420 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:52,879 Speaker 1: that education advocacy piece that I spoke about earlier, is 421 00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:55,320 Speaker 1: to make sure we share our learnings to improve safety 422 00:19:55,320 --> 00:19:57,760 Speaker 1: in those sports as well. Take our helmet work, for example, 423 00:19:58,119 --> 00:20:00,160 Speaker 1: there are other sports that wear helmets that we think 424 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:02,720 Speaker 1: can benefit from some of the things we're learning. Certainly 425 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:04,840 Speaker 1: the cleat work that we talked about before in the 426 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:07,560 Speaker 1: footwear huge implications for a lot of difference for us. 427 00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:10,280 Speaker 1: So I think that is one of our unique opportunities 428 00:20:10,320 --> 00:20:13,439 Speaker 1: with the NFL to make those advances into other sports. 429 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:16,040 Speaker 1: You partner with a lot of people the NFL does. 430 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:18,800 Speaker 1: What about the partnership with the military and some of 431 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:20,520 Speaker 1: what's going on, Can you talk about that just a 432 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:23,280 Speaker 1: little bit. Sure. Obviously, traumatic brain injuries a huge issue 433 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:25,639 Speaker 1: in the military as well, and so we are co 434 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:29,320 Speaker 1: sponsoring some research that the military is doing with the NCAA. 435 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:33,359 Speaker 1: It's called the Care Consortium, and so it's a consortium 436 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:35,760 Speaker 1: between a number of NCAA Division One schools and them 437 00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:38,199 Speaker 1: service academies as well as the military looking at the 438 00:20:38,320 --> 00:20:43,200 Speaker 1: longitudinal effects of various aspects of head trauma, including concussion. Additionally, 439 00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:45,399 Speaker 1: we engage with their experts regularly because we do have 440 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:47,640 Speaker 1: a tremendous amount of overlap with a lot of injuries, 441 00:20:47,680 --> 00:20:50,800 Speaker 1: not just with head injuries, but brain injuries, brain injury, 442 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:52,440 Speaker 1: no matter what the ideology of it is, and while 443 00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:55,240 Speaker 1: there's some nuances to each situation, there's a lot to 444 00:20:55,320 --> 00:20:58,200 Speaker 1: be learned from each other in collaboration there. We've talked 445 00:20:58,240 --> 00:21:01,719 Speaker 1: a lot about kids and how the habits start so early. 446 00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:05,199 Speaker 1: What age do you feel is an appropriate age for 447 00:21:05,359 --> 00:21:08,880 Speaker 1: kids to start playing contact sports. I think that we're 448 00:21:08,880 --> 00:21:11,400 Speaker 1: still waiting for the evidence to tell us the answers 449 00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:14,200 Speaker 1: to that. What I think we have to always look 450 00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:16,600 Speaker 1: at anytime we look at participation in sport, you look 451 00:21:16,640 --> 00:21:18,639 Speaker 1: at the risks and the benefits, and we all know 452 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:21,959 Speaker 1: they're tremendous benefits to team sports. There's a lot of 453 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:25,840 Speaker 1: personal development, there's leadership, there's camaraderie. So my goal is 454 00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:28,600 Speaker 1: to see kids participate in team sports, whatever those may be, 455 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:31,800 Speaker 1: whether they're football, it could be flag football, rookie tackle, 456 00:21:31,840 --> 00:21:34,840 Speaker 1: full tackle. It can be baseball, lacrosse, soccer. We just 457 00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:37,959 Speaker 1: want kids to be active. Whatever the science ends up 458 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:39,760 Speaker 1: telling us, that's where we're going to go. And I 459 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:42,080 Speaker 1: think this is an area of very active research that 460 00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:45,400 Speaker 1: we have to continue to pursue. But the great thing 461 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:47,760 Speaker 1: is today kids and parents have a lot of choices. 462 00:21:47,800 --> 00:21:50,159 Speaker 1: Again with flag football leagues with seven on seven, we 463 00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:52,359 Speaker 1: know that's growing in an explosive way, particularly here in 464 00:21:52,359 --> 00:21:54,760 Speaker 1: Middle Tennessee. So I'm pleased that there are a lot 465 00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:58,080 Speaker 1: of options out there for whatever team sport that people 466 00:21:58,080 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: are attracted to, and I just hope people will stay 467 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:02,840 Speaker 1: active in those team sports. Website that I was looking 468 00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:06,280 Speaker 1: at today, playsmartplaysafe dot com, I think is an excellent 469 00:22:06,320 --> 00:22:09,080 Speaker 1: resource for teaching, and the league is trying to put 470 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:10,840 Speaker 1: a lot of those things out there to get the 471 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:14,040 Speaker 1: messages and the options across. We definitely are We've got 472 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:17,080 Speaker 1: a lot of resources on placemartplaysafe dot com. Encourage people 473 00:22:17,119 --> 00:22:18,879 Speaker 1: to look at it. One of them, for example, is 474 00:22:18,880 --> 00:22:21,200 Speaker 1: our GameDay concussion protocol, so you can look on there 475 00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:23,320 Speaker 1: and see the checklist that's followed on game day by 476 00:22:23,320 --> 00:22:25,679 Speaker 1: our experts. I encourage people to use it. I encourage 477 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:28,840 Speaker 1: leagues to investigate it and consider adopting it for their 478 00:22:28,920 --> 00:22:31,480 Speaker 1: use because it's based out of the best science that 479 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:34,040 Speaker 1: we have. Our medical experts get together and put that 480 00:22:34,080 --> 00:22:36,520 Speaker 1: together every year, and so that's our point in putting 481 00:22:36,520 --> 00:22:37,800 Speaker 1: it on the website is so it can be as 482 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:41,000 Speaker 1: widely available as possible. We also published our concussion protocol 483 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:42,800 Speaker 1: last year in a medical journal, first time any pro 484 00:22:42,840 --> 00:22:45,160 Speaker 1: sports league has ever done that. But again, we wanted 485 00:22:45,200 --> 00:22:47,240 Speaker 1: to get it out there for medical professionals so they 486 00:22:47,280 --> 00:22:49,159 Speaker 1: know exactly what we're doing, why we're doing it, and 487 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:51,880 Speaker 1: what the resources are around that. And again we hope 488 00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:54,240 Speaker 1: that'll be used at all levels. Doctor sells the fact 489 00:22:54,240 --> 00:22:57,680 Speaker 1: that you're talking with us, that you're the NFL's chief 490 00:22:57,720 --> 00:23:01,600 Speaker 1: medical officer, and that you do interviews, you make commentary. 491 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:05,280 Speaker 1: How important is it that you feel like knocking down 492 00:23:05,359 --> 00:23:07,840 Speaker 1: some of the wall, some of the myths and getting 493 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:11,560 Speaker 1: the information out there is vital to what you're trying 494 00:23:11,800 --> 00:23:14,480 Speaker 1: to get accomplished for the players, for the NFL and 495 00:23:14,600 --> 00:23:17,480 Speaker 1: for athletes everywhere. Well, it's very important to me. I 496 00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:19,800 Speaker 1: will share with you. When I started to be interviewed 497 00:23:19,800 --> 00:23:22,480 Speaker 1: for the job, I had questions. I had skepticism because 498 00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:24,080 Speaker 1: you hear a lot about what the NFL is and 499 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:26,439 Speaker 1: is not about, and so I went in and wanted 500 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:29,119 Speaker 1: to hear from the league officials are we really serious 501 00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:30,960 Speaker 1: about this? Do we really want to get this right? 502 00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:34,200 Speaker 1: And I was very pleased to hear an absolute commitment 503 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:37,280 Speaker 1: to advancing science into making this as safe as we 504 00:23:37,320 --> 00:23:39,199 Speaker 1: can possibly be. That was the message I heard from 505 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:41,879 Speaker 1: the commissioner through everyone else, and I found that to 506 00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:43,720 Speaker 1: be true in my year with the league, and so 507 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:46,000 Speaker 1: I think we are in a new era where we're 508 00:23:46,040 --> 00:23:48,399 Speaker 1: trying to be as open and transparent about everything as 509 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:50,680 Speaker 1: we can. We know we still have work to do. 510 00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:52,520 Speaker 1: We know we don't always get it right, just like 511 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:54,560 Speaker 1: any aspect of medicine, but we try to own up 512 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:58,000 Speaker 1: where our shortcomings are and address those. And we really 513 00:23:58,040 --> 00:24:01,040 Speaker 1: want people to understand how committed we are to improving 514 00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:03,520 Speaker 1: health and safety across the league. We've talked a lot 515 00:24:03,560 --> 00:24:08,159 Speaker 1: about current players, what about the least commitment to former players? 516 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:10,159 Speaker 1: Tell us a little bit about that. So we do 517 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:12,679 Speaker 1: have an active division within our league that works with 518 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:15,920 Speaker 1: former players, of course, again in conjunction with the Players Association, 519 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:18,320 Speaker 1: which has a lot of resources there as well, and 520 00:24:18,359 --> 00:24:20,919 Speaker 1: so we really want to not only stay engaged with 521 00:24:20,920 --> 00:24:22,800 Speaker 1: those players, but try to serve them and help them 522 00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:26,240 Speaker 1: with their health needs. The Players Association is sponsoring a 523 00:24:26,320 --> 00:24:29,399 Speaker 1: very large longitudinal study of former players in conjunction with 524 00:24:29,480 --> 00:24:32,320 Speaker 1: Harvard University. That's going to help us understand and better 525 00:24:32,600 --> 00:24:35,840 Speaker 1: appreciate some of the aspects of their experience. So that's 526 00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:38,320 Speaker 1: a study that's ongoing that we work together with the 527 00:24:38,320 --> 00:24:40,720 Speaker 1: Players Association and trying to make sure we're all informed 528 00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:43,679 Speaker 1: about what's happening there. So former players are certainly important 529 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:45,240 Speaker 1: to us, just like they are even if they haven't 530 00:24:45,280 --> 00:24:47,439 Speaker 1: played in the NFL. I think studying groups of former 531 00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:49,320 Speaker 1: players that played in high school or in youth leagues 532 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:52,080 Speaker 1: is also very important for us. Touched on something I 533 00:24:52,119 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 1: think is really important. It's the way that players feel 534 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:59,080 Speaker 1: like they can speak up now. Years ago, you got 535 00:24:59,119 --> 00:25:02,639 Speaker 1: your bell row, as everybody called it. You were taught 536 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:06,200 Speaker 1: don't say anything, I gotta stay in the game. Today 537 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:09,680 Speaker 1: players are being much more honest with their medical people, 538 00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:12,560 Speaker 1: with their training staff. That's a big deal, it is, 539 00:25:12,600 --> 00:25:14,720 Speaker 1: and it's a very positive change. Certainly, we know that 540 00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:17,399 Speaker 1: playing through discomfort is a part of all sports, and 541 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:19,399 Speaker 1: it's a culture and athletes that learn to do that. 542 00:25:19,480 --> 00:25:22,000 Speaker 1: But we try to make a very sharp distinction about 543 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:23,879 Speaker 1: the brain that you can't play through an injury with 544 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:26,920 Speaker 1: your brain, and we are seeing major positive changes in 545 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:30,120 Speaker 1: that area. Just last year, almost half of our concussion 546 00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:33,679 Speaker 1: evaluations had some component of self report, meaning either the 547 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:36,359 Speaker 1: player themselves or a teammate or a coach or someone 548 00:25:36,440 --> 00:25:37,960 Speaker 1: came up and said, hey, we need to go check 549 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:40,560 Speaker 1: out Mike. And we think that was an all time 550 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:43,240 Speaker 1: high that percentage, and we think that's a very positive change. 551 00:25:43,320 --> 00:25:46,000 Speaker 1: It reflects the fact that players are taking this seriously 552 00:25:46,119 --> 00:25:48,560 Speaker 1: and that education is working in that area, and we 553 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:51,520 Speaker 1: hope that trend continues. What is it about your job 554 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:56,479 Speaker 1: that keeps you up at night? That's a great question. 555 00:25:57,359 --> 00:26:01,320 Speaker 1: I think it's just trying to make sure that we 556 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:06,439 Speaker 1: that we continue our quest for getting better in every area. 557 00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:09,800 Speaker 1: I mentioned this year that we had this concussion reduction strategy. 558 00:26:10,119 --> 00:26:12,119 Speaker 1: I'm hopeful that in future years we're looking at an 559 00:26:12,119 --> 00:26:15,679 Speaker 1: ACL reduction strategy, an ankle injury reduction strategy, and you know, 560 00:26:15,800 --> 00:26:18,119 Speaker 1: those efforts to try to continue to get better in 561 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:20,480 Speaker 1: areas where we know we're having injuries. And we hope 562 00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:24,120 Speaker 1: that we can make a positive impact. So I'm excited 563 00:26:24,119 --> 00:26:25,800 Speaker 1: about that, but at the same time, it's a challenge 564 00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:28,240 Speaker 1: to continue to look for those partnerships and those resources 565 00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:30,440 Speaker 1: that will help us answer those questions. When you're done 566 00:26:30,440 --> 00:26:34,119 Speaker 1: with this job whenever that is, what is your overall 567 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:37,679 Speaker 1: goal in terms of the evolution of the safety of 568 00:26:37,680 --> 00:26:41,040 Speaker 1: the games as you go through your tenure as the 569 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:46,000 Speaker 1: league's chief medical officer. Yeah, I think we're the place 570 00:26:46,040 --> 00:26:47,600 Speaker 1: i'd like to see SB is where I see we 571 00:26:47,640 --> 00:26:50,080 Speaker 1: are now with integration of the medical data with the 572 00:26:50,080 --> 00:26:53,119 Speaker 1: football data, that we're making rule changes together based around 573 00:26:53,119 --> 00:26:55,639 Speaker 1: that data, and that we look back and say, you know, 574 00:26:55,680 --> 00:26:58,520 Speaker 1: we took advantage of the resources we had to innovate 575 00:26:58,560 --> 00:27:01,679 Speaker 1: in a way that made it's safer across the board, 576 00:27:01,960 --> 00:27:05,400 Speaker 1: whether it's equipment, rules change his style of play, coach education, 577 00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:08,919 Speaker 1: player education, parent education. Those are the things that I 578 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:11,199 Speaker 1: hope will become a permanent part of the landscape for 579 00:27:11,280 --> 00:27:14,760 Speaker 1: us and that people will grow to see sports participation. Again, 580 00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:16,520 Speaker 1: as I mentioned before, in light of the fact that 581 00:27:16,560 --> 00:27:19,040 Speaker 1: there are a lot of benefits to being part of 582 00:27:19,040 --> 00:27:21,560 Speaker 1: a team sport and that we've really done all we 583 00:27:21,600 --> 00:27:25,360 Speaker 1: can to make the risk side as tolerable as possible. 584 00:27:25,359 --> 00:27:28,280 Speaker 1: What's the most enjoyable part of the job, You know, 585 00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:30,600 Speaker 1: I love interacting with all the smart people I get 586 00:27:30,600 --> 00:27:31,920 Speaker 1: to talk to. I say, one of the nice things 587 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:33,880 Speaker 1: about my job is people take my phone calls. Now, 588 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:38,080 Speaker 1: so getting to take or interact with our engineers, with 589 00:27:38,359 --> 00:27:40,679 Speaker 1: some of the best scientists, the best medical people in 590 00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:43,320 Speaker 1: the country. When I say people take the phone calls, 591 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:45,719 Speaker 1: everyone's eager to work together with the NFL because they 592 00:27:45,760 --> 00:27:48,399 Speaker 1: recognize our commitment and our resources and our platform. So 593 00:27:48,440 --> 00:27:51,639 Speaker 1: I love that synergy of bringing people together, sitting around 594 00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:54,159 Speaker 1: a table and thinking about a problem like concussion and 595 00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:57,000 Speaker 1: designing a strategy that we can then imply and see 596 00:27:57,040 --> 00:28:00,000 Speaker 1: if it works, and then having all this evidence because 597 00:28:00,040 --> 00:28:03,320 Speaker 1: it's not just that we count injuries. We know the injuries, 598 00:28:03,320 --> 00:28:05,880 Speaker 1: we know the game statistics, we know all the variables 599 00:28:05,880 --> 00:28:08,239 Speaker 1: that go into the environment, we know the equipment, and 600 00:28:08,280 --> 00:28:10,520 Speaker 1: now we've got incredible video and we can link all 601 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:12,280 Speaker 1: that together in a way that really helps us to 602 00:28:12,359 --> 00:28:14,560 Speaker 1: begin to dive into these issues in a much deeper 603 00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:16,440 Speaker 1: way than we've ever been able to do before. It's 604 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:20,320 Speaker 1: the biggest surprise of the job. The thoughtfulness of the 605 00:28:20,359 --> 00:28:23,760 Speaker 1: tough guys, the players, the former players, the coaches, and 606 00:28:23,880 --> 00:28:25,960 Speaker 1: the like. I don't think that was a surprise because 607 00:28:25,960 --> 00:28:27,639 Speaker 1: I've been around athletes for a long long time and 608 00:28:27,880 --> 00:28:30,720 Speaker 1: I have great appreciation for them, so that piece wasn't 609 00:28:30,760 --> 00:28:35,679 Speaker 1: a surprise. But I've been gratified to see the tremendous 610 00:28:35,680 --> 00:28:38,800 Speaker 1: collaboration we have with the Players Association and with everyone. 611 00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:40,680 Speaker 1: We always say on health and safety, there's really no 612 00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:43,440 Speaker 1: space between us, and we really looked to work together, 613 00:28:43,920 --> 00:28:45,480 Speaker 1: and so that's been a great part of the job. 614 00:28:46,360 --> 00:28:49,720 Speaker 1: Great stuff, Doctor Allan Sills, the chief Medical officer of 615 00:28:49,720 --> 00:28:52,520 Speaker 1: the National Football League, thank you so much for taking 616 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:55,080 Speaker 1: time with us on the OTP. Thanks for having me 617 00:28:55,320 --> 00:28:57,640 Speaker 1: for anyby wells. I'm Mike Keith. Thanks for joining us, 618 00:28:57,640 --> 00:29:00,200 Speaker 1: and we'll see you next time of the Official Take 619 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:11,680 Speaker 1: This Podcast. H